Post
by Paul McKeown » Fri Jul 23, 2010 5:16 pm
Ben,
I confess that I have presented a completely one-sided and unnuanced position, and have been privately chided for this, too, and been told that my intervention is unfair.
But, my point of principle, is simple, really.
Manchester is part of the North of England. Fact. The only reason that the Manchester Chess Federation is affiliated to the Midlands, rather than the Northern Counties union is that back in the mists of time (the 1970's) when the GMCCA was founded, it did so in a manner not calculated to earn itself friends amongst former colleagues in the Lancashire union. Lancs. barred the GMCCA from affiliating with the NCCU and the GMCCA eventually affiliated with the MCCU. A complete breach of personal relations between several people leading both sides of this dispute resulted. Those people still hold positions and influence within their respective organisations.
From the outside looking in, it appears that this dispute will not be resolved until the antagonists have gone to their graves, although, it appears also likely that the private thoughts of some on the Lancastrian side are to sit it out in the hope that the Mancunian splittist organisation might fold.
Coming, as I do, from Northern Ireland, I have personal experience of political disputes based on ancient events of which everyone has an opinion, but of which no one can justifiably state that the ancient events should have any relevance to present circumstances. Feelings nevertheless run high and no one is willing to budge from their comfortable positions of mutual antagonism.
This is just such a dispute.
The logical thing would clearly be that the Lancastrians and the NCCU should make a clear statement that they would be willing to accept the affiliation of the Mancunian Federation, and a clear statement of any (reasonable) conditions to that affiliation.
It would then be up to the Mancunians to accept that offer, or look even more stoopid than they currently do. The rest of the chess public in England could then sigh a quiet sigh of relief that commonsense and logic had prevailed.
There is much ill feeling on both sides of this internecine conflict. That is obvious. It shouldn't dominate rational thought, though.
I apologise to all who may be offended by my blunt statement, but my rhetoric is not meant as an insult but as a challenge to all those involved to search their consciences.
Life is too short.